Clinic Manager & Lead Senior Artist (Melbourne)
Kelly Dawes
Kelly Dawes is the Clinic Manager and Lead Senior Artist at Foli Sim’s North Melbourne studio, with a decade of scalp micropigmentation experience. Certified in 2017, she completed an advanced masterclass at the Brandwood Clinic in the UK in 2019 and presented and judged at The Scalp Show in Las Vegas in 2022.
About Kelly
With a decade of dedicated experience in Scalp Micropigmentation (SMP), Kelly Dawes serves as the Clinic Manager and Lead Senior Artist at Foli Sim’s Melbourne location. Driven by perfectionism, technical precision, and a warm demeanour, Kelly has built an outstanding industry reputation supported by an extensive track record of glowing 5-star client reviews. She consistently delivers natural results that transform both hairlines and confidence.
As part of the family legacy at Foli Sim, founded by her father and stepmother, Kelly leads the Melbourne clinic with an unwavering commitment to the highest artistic, clinical, and ethical standards in the business.
Career journey and international credentials
Kelly began her formal SMP training in late 2016 under Kate Dawes, earning her official certification in 2017 before spending two years refining her craft under direct senior mentorship. To continuously push the boundaries of her art, she travelled to the UK in 2019 for an advanced masterclass with industry leaders Simon Lane at Brandwood Clinic and Paul Clark, founder of Legends SMP. Having completed thousands of sessions on hundreds of clients, ranging in age from 18 to 75, Kelly has earned a loyal following, with clients routinely waiting months specifically to sit in her chair or returning years later for touch-ups.
In 2022, Kelly was invited to The Scalp Show in Las Vegas, where she served as a Presenter and Workshop Leader alongside lead presenter Kate Dawes, educating global artists on advanced techniques for Density Fills and Touch-Ups. Her authority in the field was further recognised when she was selected to serve on the Judges Panel for the official SMP Competition at the event.
Certifications and professional development
- Foli Sim Scalp Micropigmentation (2017): Certificate of Completion, trained by Kate Dawes
- Academy of Cosmetic Tattoo Australia (CCTA): (2019) Statement of Attainment for HLTINF005, Maintain Infection Prevention for Skin Penetration Treatments, by Michelle Scurry.
- Brandwood Clinic, UK (2019): Advanced 2-Day Masterclass in SMP Techniques, trained by Simon Lane and Paul Clark
- 5th Ave PMU Academy: (2020) Specialised Certifications in Camouflaging Hair Transplant Scars and Mastering Hairlines, trained by Matt Iulo
- Cosmetic Aesthetics Academy (CA): (2021) Certificate of Completion in Colour Theory and the study of molecules, trained by Taryn Quinterri
- The International Scalp Show, Las Vegas (2022): Certificates of Attendance and Completion for the 4 Major Workshops, Workshop Presenter, and Official Competition Judge
Safety, clinical standards and transparency
Your safety, skin health, and long-term results are Kelly’s top priorities.
- Infection control certified: Fully qualified in maintaining infection prevention for skin penetration, adhering to strict clinical hygiene, sterilisation, and sanitation protocols.
- Premium tools and pigments: Utilising non-colour-changing, specialised SMP pigments and single-use, medical-grade micro-needles to guarantee clean retention without discolouration over time.
- Honest, zero-pressure consultations: Every consultation is a clear, transparent conversation about what SMP can realistically achieve for your specific scalp and skin type.
Scope of expertise and specialisations
Kelly has extensive experience treating a wide spectrum of hair loss conditions, tailoring her technique to each client’s unique needs:
- Alopecia management: Experienced in navigating all forms of alopecia, including Alopecia Areata, Totalis, and Universalis, restoring full, natural coverage.
- Pattern baldness (male and female): Enhancing thinning hair, crowns, and receding hairlines for both men and women.
- Advanced scar camouflage: Skilled in concealing all types of scalp scarring, from surgical and trauma scars to hair transplant scars (FUE and FUT), by seamlessly blending pigment into surrounding skin and hair.
- Tailored full head restorations: Custom hairline designs ranging from soft, subtle, and feathered to strong, defined styles tailored to your exact preference.
- SMP corrections and reconstructive work: Correcting uneven, off-center, or poor work from previous technicians with expert precision.
Consultation style and personal philosophy
For Kelly, SMP is far more than a technical procedure; it is a deeply rewarding process centered on making people feel great about themselves. Known for her warm, attentive approach, Kelly excels at putting every client at ease, whether they are completely calm or feeling highly anxious about the process. She genuinely loves sitting down with people from all walks of life, sharing great conversation, and watching their confidence restore as their new look comes together.
Ready to start your transformation?
Whether you’re looking for an honest evaluation, exploring density options, or seeking expert reconstructive work, Kelly is here to guide you every step of the way at the Melbourne clinic.
To book a complimentary consultation with Kelly, contact the team at Foli Sim using the form below or call 1300 668 490.
What happens when you consult Kelly Dawes, SMP artist in Melbourne?
A consultation with Kelly Dawes, SMP artist in Melbourne, is free and carries no obligation. Most clients come to the studio on Flemington Road, north of the city centre; video and phone are the alternatives. Kelly looks at your scalp, works out where the loss is heading, and asks how you wear your hair now.
Then the talk turns to design: a hairline that suits your face and your age, whether you keep some length or go to a close shave, and how pigment will sit among the hair you still have. Bring old photos of your hairline. Your quote follows the consultation. The scalp micropigmentation Melbourne page has more on the studio.
How does Kelly's training show up in your treatment?
Kelly's foundation is Foli Sim's five-day essentials workshop, taught by Kate Dawes, an IAT-registered trichologist, so her method starts with reading the hair loss, not with the needle. Each course added since answers a question clients ask in the chair:
- Hairline work. The front edge is what people notice first, and the focus of her advanced training.
- Scar camouflage. For strip or FUE scars from an earlier hair transplant, assessed in person.
- Colour theory. Matching pigment tone to your hair and skin.
Her UNDO accreditation and her presenting work at industry conferences sit alongside these. The SMP artist you meet in Melbourne has trained specifically in the parts of the job where the result is decided, and she keeps adding to it.
How is SMP in North Melbourne planned over several sessions?
Most clients who book SMP in North Melbourne are dealing with a receding hairline, a thinning crown or the decision to shave down, and SMP is just as much for women with thinning hair or a widening part. The treatment is built over more than one session, with time between visits for the scalp to settle; Kelly sets the spacing at the consultation.
SMP is long-lasting rather than fixed for life; results soften over the years and a touch-up refreshes them. To see the standard before booking with Melbourne SMP artist Kelly Dawes, the before and after gallery shows work from Australia's most experienced SMP clinic, and the hair tattoo for men page and SMP for women page explain the treatment.
Questions about Kelly Dawes
Kelly works from the Foli Sim Melbourne studio at Level 2, Suite 221/55 Flemington Road, North Melbourne, Victoria 3051. She is available during studio hours, Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm, with Saturday and Sunday by appointment. The studio is one of three Health Department certified Foli Sim locations, and it is also where fellow artist Dave Ticconi practises, so Melbourne clients have a choice of artist.
Kelly obtained her certificate in May 2017, after completing a five-day SMP essentials workshop with Kate Dawes at Foli Sim. She has helped countless clients in the years since, and has kept adding to that foundation with further training almost every year, including hairline and scar work, colour theory and UNDO accreditation.
In 2019 Kelly completed a Master SMP course with the renowned Brandwood Clinic in the UK, studying under Paul Clarke and Simon Lane. In 2020 she trained in mastering the hairline and scar camouflage with Matt Iulo of Scalp Micro USA, and in 2021 she studied colour theory at Olympia Beauty SMP in London.
Yes. Kelly was nominated for Best International Artist at the 2019 Team Micro Meeting of Minds SMP Conference in London, reaching the finalist stage. She was also recognised for the most natural hairline at the SMP Expo while working with Foli Sim SMP, an award that speaks directly to the detail work at the front of the head.
Scar camouflage is part of her training: in 2020 she completed mastering the hairline and scar camouflage with Matt Iulo at Scalp Micro USA. Whether camouflage suits your particular scar depends on its age, texture and location, which is something to look at in person. Book a free consultation and Kelly will tell you honestly what is achievable.
She has. In 2022 Kelly was a guest speaker and presenter at The Scalp Show conference in Las Vegas, where she also took part in a three-day workshop. Presenting to other artists is a reasonable signal of standing in the industry, and it keeps her in contact with technique developments that filter back into the Melbourne studio.
Kelly is the daughter of Foli Sim's General Manager and founding director, Michael Dawes. She joined her father and stepmother in the business after seeing how rewarding the work is, and describes it as a line of work that is genuinely fun as well as meaningful. Foli Sim remains family-owned and operated across all three studios.
Kelly studied colour theory at Olympia Beauty SMP in 2021, which is the discipline behind matching pigment tone to your own hair and skin so the result reads as stubble rather than a flat block. The specifics are decided in person, since tone, contrast and the way your scalp holds pigment all vary. Your consultation is where that is assessed.
Yes. Call 1300 668 490 or email info@folisim.com.au and ask for Kelly at the Melbourne studio. Our east coast Operations Manager, Diane Delia, coordinates the Melbourne and Sydney diaries and will find a time that works. Consultations are free and there is no obligation to book a treatment afterwards.
In her own words, she decided to join her father and stepmother at Foli Sim when she saw how incredibly rewarding this line of work is, and just how much fun it can be. That outlook carries into the treatment room; alongside her technical training, she is known for the customer service side of the job and her commitment to Foli Sim's values.
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